More Adverse Effects of Anti-Depressants

Big Pharma has made billions of dollars promoting the use of psychotropic drugs like Zoloft, Paxil and Zyprexa for every condition imaginable. If you are trying to lose weight, they tell you that you should take at least one psychotropic drug. If you want to quit smoking—take a psychotropic drug.

Most of us are now aware of the suicide risks and homicide risks created by psychotropic drugs. We know that most, if not all, of the recent mass murderers were taking psychotropic drugs.

In our previous articles we have discussed the failure of Big Pharma to publish clinical trials that don’t support their marketing plans. We have discussed the recent study from Great Britain which concluded that antidepressants are no more effective than placebos for most people.

It seems that almost every day a study is released showing more side effects caused by psychotropic drugs. Because evidence of these side effects should be very important to doctors who prescribe these drugs, you would expect any responsible company to immediately report these results to the doctors. However, Big Pharma seems to only provide information about side effects if the FDA and lawsuits force them. If the doctors realized the real problems created by these dangerous psychotropic drugs, then they might not write as many prescriptions. This would reduce profits and profits appear to be the only concern of Big Pharma.

Here is information on some side effects that Big Pharma doesn’t want you to know.

DIABETES AND ANTIDEPRESSANTS STUDY

Most people are familiar with the problems caused by type 2 diabetes and know that it is a terrible disease. Diabetes is a major cause of heart disease and stroke, as well as the most common cause of blindness, kidney failure and amputations in U.S. adults. People with type 2 diabetes are unable to utilize their body’s insulin to move blood sugar into the cells for energy. Type 2 diabetes has dramatically increased in the past 30 years and now affects nearly 21 million people in the United States.

In her 2006 testimony to the FDA, Dr. Ann Blake Tracy, author of Prozac: Panacea Or Pandora?, said, “Diabetes has skyrocketed, has been linked to antidepressants, and blood sugar imbalances have long been suspected as the cause of mania or bipolar. Anyone who has witnessed someone in insulin shock would see the striking similarity to a violent reaction to an antidepressant.”

Lauren Brown, a researcher with the University of Alberta’s School of Public Health, studied the medical history of 2,400 people who were diagnosed with depression and were taking antidepressants. What she found was the risk of diabetes almost doubled for the patients who were using two types of therapies at the same time, tricyclic antidepressants (Elavil and Tofranil) and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) (Zoloft, Paxil, Lexapro).

DIABETES AND CANCER

In addition to the problems of type 2 diabetes, a study published in Nature Genetics points out that men who have an elevated risk of type 2 diabetes are more likely to have prostate cancer. Researchers have now identified two genes that have been found to be present in people with type 2 diabetes which also appear to be present in instances of prostate cancer. If type 2 diabetes or its symptoms were side effects of antidepressants, then these drugs are directly increasing the likelihood of prostate cancer.

WEIGHT GAIN

For a long time, Dr. Tracy has been warning that psychotropic drugs are causing obesity. Now other scientists are releasing studies confirming Dr. Tracy’s research.

Dr. David Lau, chair of the Diabetes and Endocrine Research Group at the University of Calgary and president of Obesity Canada, says that the widespread use of psychiatric medications among adults and children is making the obesity epidemic worse. He says that psychiatric drug-related weight gain “is a huge problem.”

“You can see patients gaining 10, 20, 30, 40 pounds,” Lau says.

Writing in the March 8, 2008 issue of New Scientist, Harvard University psychologist Paula Caplan says obesity among teens and younger children has risen over the past 10 to 15 years, with a five-fold increase in prescriptions of anti-psychotic drugs for those age groups, and that “children taking these drugs are even more likely to gain weight than adults are.”

She believes the widespread use of psychiatric medications among adults and children is making the obesity epidemic worse.

“Yet one culprit is rarely mentioned: the broad range of psychiatric drugs that can cause substantial weight gain. They include drugs marketed as antidepressants (such as amitriptyline, doxepin and imipramine), mood stabilisers (including lithium and valproate) and antipsychotics (including clozapine, olanzapine and chlorpromazine). After 10 years on lithium, for example, two-thirds of patients put on around 10 kilograms. And in December 2006, The New York Times published an article based on internal documents from the drug company Eli Lilly which indicated that it had intentionally downplayed the side effects of olanzapine, which it sells as Zyprexa. The company’s data showed that one-third of patients who have taken the drug for a year gain at least 10 kilograms, and half of these gain at least 30 kilograms (about 66 pounds).”

Caplan is concerned that patients aren’t being warned that these dangerous drugs may cause substantial weight gain—particularly with the growing trend of prescribing multiple psychotrophic drugs at the same time.

WEIGHT GAIN, ALZHEIMER’S AND DEMENTIA

A study of more than 6,000 adults by the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research in Oakland, California found that people who gained more weight during their 40’s had a greater risk of developing dementia (deterioration of mental ability) or Alzheimer’s in their 70’s. If psychotropic drugs contribute to obesity, then they also can increase the risk of Alzheimer’s and dementia.

BENEFIT VS. HARM FROM PRESCRIPTION DRUGS

Professor David Light of the Center for Bioethics stated, “Evidence over the past 40 years indicates that harm to patients from adverse side effects of medicines exceed benefits: only 1 in 7 new drugs have offered substantial therapeutic benefit over existing treatments. On the other hand, at least 30 percent bear risks of serious adverse events.

This benefit: harm ratio of 15:30 or 1:2 is made worse by medicines being widely prescribed for unapproved indications, being prescribed in higher doses than needed for their stated benefits, being prescribed to ever-wider populations as industry-supported experts lower thresholds on guidelines, and being prescribed to patients with higher risks of the adverse events involved. Each of these widening uses reduces any benefit and produces more ill-health. The scale of ill health is epidemic.”

CONCLUSION

Big Pharma does not hide their intentions. Their ideal world is one in which all of us are unable to get through our day without consuming ever more of their drugs—regardless of the cost to us or society.

Some people say that expecting Big Pharma to look and act like a responsible group who are more interested in doing good than making profits is an unrealistic dream. However, if you don’t dream, then how can a dream ever come true?

Do you share our dream? Help realize this dream by asking your doctor to fully explain the side effects and possible interactions with other drugs you are taking before you accept his prescription. Check the internet to read the side effects for yourself before you fill the prescription, and if your doctor didn’t know about the side effects and possible interactions, then get another doctor.

Does Big Pharma represent the same threat to our quality of life as the Nazi’s who wanted to enslave everyone? A slave’s life is controlled by another. Doesn’t having your life controlled by high-priced drugs make you a slave in fact if not in name? Our fight is simple—we just want everyone to know the truth and then they can decide for themselves.

There is hope for a new life.Call to speak to one of our experienced & caring detox advisors today!1-866-303-3848

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